2017 Regional: News Series: “Opiate Oppression,” reported by Matthew Simon; Tom Zurawski, photographer. This three-part series airing in May 2016 was part of our year-long commitment to showing how the opiate crisis was impacting large segments of our viewing area. NewsChannel 7 Investigates exclusively obtained a Marathon County Health Department report showing even though most of the community now knows prescription drop boxes exist, they are still keeping old prescription drugs in their homes. We looked at the everyday story of Michael Dixon, whose opiate addiction began after having his wisdom teeth removed as a teen. This eventually led to his heroin addiction, which caused him to crash his car, killing him and leaving his young son with a lifelong traumatic brain injury. The series also focused on Wausau being named a top 25 city for prescription abuse, the lack of treatment options, how addiction changes brain chemistry, the scope of the problem for law enforcement and how hospital funding can sometimes depend on how addicts answer surveys.

2016 National: News Reporter: Overall Excellence & Best Newscast, news reporting role part of the work honored by the Radio Television Digital News Association, (RTDNA,) with two National Edward R. Murrow awards for overall excellence and best newscast following the local district attorney's decision not to criminally charge an officer following the shooting of an unarmed biracial Madison teenager.

May 2015: 1st Place: Best Hard News/Investigative:

"911 DaneCom System Overhaul," On-going series into continuous first responder emergency radio failures was part of the station’s "911 Dane Com system," coverage. Reporting produced change, causing Dane Co. to accept responsibility and work toward fixing a problem that put first responders lives in jeopardy.

Alaska Broadcasters Association

2008: Service To Community:

Alaska Broadcasters Association recognized "Cancer Connection's" community service program, which raised the profile of Alaska's number one killer: cancer. The series brought viewers the latest cancer information, told countless survivor stories, held policy makers accountable for cancer funding decisions, and worked to make community differences. That included serving as an adviser for various local American Cancer Society events, as well as an Alaska Men's Cancer Run board member, a staff member for the yearly Alaska Men’s Cancer Survivor Retreat, appearing at numerous community cancer events, and hosting "Alaska's Cancer Telethon," which raised more than $15,000 for Alaska's American Cancer Society.

2007: Service To Children:

The Alaska Broadcasters Association recognized my cancer education work with hundreds of Anchorage School District children. Along with talking to the teens about my cancer experience, I worked with district leaders to change the curriculum. As a result, inside ASD's mandatory 8th grade heath education classes students are taught breast and testicular cancer's warning signs.

Broadcast Journalism Excellence Award for series, "The Unspoken Affliction: Testicular Cancer." Based off of Simon's own experience, told the story of an 18-year-old who ignored testicular cancer's warning signs, because he was not educated, and eventually ended up dying. It also exposed how, even though testicular cancer is the number one cancer-killer of 15 to 35 year-old young males, most men, along with their parents, do not know about it. The stories ultimately showed warning signs and how men can survive and lead normal, productive lives.